TRANSPORT AND HIGH-SELECTIVITY MECHANISMS OF C-4 HYDROCARBONS THROUGHANHYDROUS AG-DOPED PERFLUOROCARBON-TYPE ION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANES()

Permeation experiments have been carried out for n-butane, but-1-ene a nd isobutene through anhydrous Ag+-doped perfluorosulfonate membranes from an AgBF4 aqueous solution. The anhydrous Ag+-doped perfluorosulfo nate membranes are microporous and n-butane hows through the microporo us channels in these membranes in the gas phase. On the other hand, th e transport of but-1-ene and isobutene is mainly controlled by hydrody namic surface flow. Both the permeability of alkenes and the ideal sel ectivity of alkene/alkane increased with the increase in upstream gas pressure. The highest ideal separation factor is 2500 for but-1-ene/n- butane and 810 for isobutene/n-butane, indicating that anhydrous Ag+-d oped PSM membranes are applicable for the separation of alkenes and al kanes. The ideal separation factor of 7.9 is also obtained for but-1-e ne/isobutene.